WAFER SCALE METHOD OF MANUFACTURING OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE DEVICE AND THE WAVEGUIDE DEVICE MADE THEREBY

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wafer scale method for the manufacture of optical waveguide devices, and the improved waveguides manufactured thereby. SOLUTION: Sub-micron control of an optical waveguiding layer thickness is achieved by providing a dimensionally stable wafer assembly into which adhesive 16 can be introduced without altering the planar relationship between a carrier wafer 12 and an optically transmissive wafer in wafer scale manufacture. This process permits wafer scale manufacture of optical waveguide devices 10 including thin optically transmissive layers. A pattern of spacer pedestals is created by deposition and etch back, or by a surface etch process to precisely reference surface information from a master surface to a carrier wafer 12 to a thin optically transmissive wafer 14. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT